List of political parties in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka
Coat of arms of Sri Lanka, showing a lion holding a sword in its right forepaw surrounded by a ring made from blue lotus petals which is placed on top of a grain vase sprouting rice grains to encircle it. A Dharmacakra is on the top while a sun and moon are at the bottom on each side of the vase.
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Sri Lanka

This article lists political parties in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka has a two-party system, which means that there are two dominant political parties, with difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of any other party. In the last decades, the United National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party have been the largest parties by far. The general rule, however, has become coalition politics, since neither SLFP nor UNP are able to gather parliamentary majorities. Tamil areas are generally dominated by Tamil parties.

Alliances

Parliamentary alliances

AllianceSinhala nameTamil nameSymbolFoundedLeader
Tamil National Allianceදෙමළ ජාතික සන්ධානයதமிழ்த் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்புN/A[lower-alpha 1]20 October 2001R. Sampanthan
United National Front for Good Governanceඑක්සත් යහපාලන ජාතික පෙරමුණநல்லாட்சிக்கான ஐக்கிய தேசிய முன்னணிN/A[lower-alpha 2]2005Ranil Wickremesinghe
United People's Freedom Allianceඑක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානයஐக்கிய மக்கள் சுதந்திரக் கூட்டணிBetel Leaf
20 January 2004Maithripala Sirisena

Extra-parliamentary alliances

AllianceSinhala nameTamil nameSymbolFoundedLeader
Democratic Tamil National Frontஜனநாயக தமிழ்த் தேசிய முன்னணிN/A4 May 2016V. Anandasangaree
Tamil National People's Frontද්‍රවිඩ ජාතික ජනතා පෙරමුණதமிழ்த் தேசியத்திற்கான மக்கள் முன்னணிN/A[lower-alpha 3]28 February 2010Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam

Defunct/dormant alliances

AllianceSinhala nameTamil nameSymbolFoundedDissolvedNotes
Democratic National Allianceප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී ජාතික සන්ධානයசனநாயகத் தேசியக் கூட்டணிTrophy22 November 2009
Democratic Tamil National Alliance[lower-alpha 4]ජනනායක තමිළ් තේසිය කුට්ටනිஜனநாயக தமிழ் தேசிய கூட்டணிBrass LampMost members have joined the TNA
Left Liberation Front[lower-alpha 5]இடது விடுதலை முன்னணிN/A1998
National Unity AllianceN/A19992010
People's Allianceපොදු ජන එක්සත් පෙරමුණமக்கள் கூட்டணிChair1994Most members have joined the UPFA
Socialist Allianceසමාජවාදී ජනතා පෙරමුණசோஷலிஸ மக்கள் முன்னணிClay Lamp2006All members part of the UPFA
Tamil National Liberation AllianceN/A22 February 201025 June 2011Members have joined the TNA
Tamil Progressive Allianceதமிழ் முற்போக்கு கூட்டணிN/A3 June 2015All members part of the UNFGG
United National Frontඑක්සත් ජාතික පෙරමුණ, ශ්‍රී ලංකාවஐக்கிய தேசிய முன்னணிN/A[lower-alpha 6]21 October 2001Most members have joined the UNFGG

Parties

Parliamentary parties

PartySinhala nameTamil nameSymbolAllianceFoundedLeader
All Ceylon Makkal Congress[lower-alpha 7]සමස්ත ලංකා ජනතා කොංග්‍රසයஅகில இலங்கை மக்கள் காங்கிரசுPeacockUNFGG2005Rishad Bathiudeen
Ceylon Workers' Congress[lower-alpha 8]ලංකා කම්කරු කොංග්‍රසයஇலங்கை தொழிலாளர் காங்கிரஸ்CockerelUPFA1939Arumugam Thondaman
Communist Party of Sri Lankaශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ කොමියුනිස්ට් පක්ෂයஇலங்கை கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சிStarUPFA/
SA		1943D. E. W. Gunasekera
Democratic Left Frontප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී වාමාංශික පෙරමුණஜனநாயக இடதுசாரி முன்னணிClockUPFA/
SA		1999Vasudeva Nanayakkara
Democratic National Movement[lower-alpha 9]ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී ජනතා ව්‍යාපරයருஹுணு ஜனதா பக்ஷயMotor CarUNFGGAruna de Zoysa
Democratic People's Front[lower-alpha 10]ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී ජනතා පෙරමුණஜனநாயக மக்கள் முன்னணிLadderUNFGG/
TPA		Mano Ganesan
Democratic People's Liberation Front[lower-alpha 11]ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී ජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණஜனநாயக மக்கள் விடுதலை முன்னணிAnchorTNA1988D. Siddarthan
Eelam People's Democratic Partyඊලාම් ජනතා ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පක්ෂයஈழ மக்கள் ஜனநாயகக் கட்சிVeenaUPFA/
DTNF		November 1987Douglas Devananda
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Frontඊලාම් ජනතා විප්ලවවාදී විමුක්ති පෙරමුණஈழ மக்கள் புரட்சிகர விடுதலை முன்னணிFlowerTNA1980Suresh Premachandran
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi[lower-alpha 12]ඉලංගෙයි තමිළ් අරසු කච්චිஇலங்கைத் தமிழரசுக் கட்சிHouseTNA18 December 1949Mavai Senathirajah
Janatha Vimukthi Peramunaජනතා විමුක්ති පෙරමුණமக்கள் விடுதலை முன்னணிBellN/A14 May 1965Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Jathika Hela Urumayaජාතික හෙළ උරුමයஜாதிக எல உறுமயConch ShellUNFGGFebruary 2004Omalpe Sobhitha Thero
Mahajana Eksath Peramunaමහජන එක්සත් පෙරමුණ‍மகாஜன எக்சத் பெரமுனCartwheelUPFA1959Dinesh Gunawardena
National Freedom Frontජාතික නිදහස් පෙරමුණதேசிய சுதந்திர முன்னணிPanchaudayaUPFA2008Wimal Weerawansa
National Union of Workersජාතික කම්කරු සංගමයதொழிலாளர் தேசிய சங்கம்N/AUNFGG/
TPA		Palani Digambaran
Pivithuru Hela UrumayaN/AUPFAUdaya Gammanpila
Sri Lanka Freedom Partyශ්‍රී ලංකා නිදහස් පක්ෂයஇலங்கை சுதந்திரக் கட்சிHandUPFA2 December 1951Maithripala Sirisena
Sri Lanka Muslim Congressශ්‍රී ලංකා මුස්ලිම් කොංග්‍රසයசிறீலங்கா முஸ்லிம் காங்கிரசுTreeUNFGG1981Rauff Hakeem
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organizationද්‍රවිඩ ඊලම් විමුක්ති සංවිධානයதமிழீழ விடுதலை இயக்கம்Light HouseTNA1979Selvam Adaikalanathan
United Left FrontN/AUNFGGJayampathy Wickramaratne
United National Partyඑක්සත් ජාතික පක්ෂයஐக்கிய தேசியக் கட்சிElephantUNFGG6 September 1946Ranil Wickremesinghe
Up-Country People's Frontකඳුරට ජනතා පෙරමුණமலையக மக்கள் முன்னணிMammotyUNFGG/
TPA		1989V. Radhakrishnan

Other registered parties

PartySinhala nameTamil nameSymbolAllianceFoundedLeader
All Are Citizens All Are Kings Organizationඔක්කොම වැසියෝ ඔක්කොම රජවරු සංවිධානයஒக்கொம வெஸியோ ஒக்கொம ரஜவரு அமைப்புTillN/AM. B. Thaminimulla
All Lanka Tamil Great Council[lower-alpha 13]අඛිල ඉලඞ්කෛයි ද්‍රවිඩ මහාසභාஅகில இலங்கை தமிழர் மகாசபைShipN/ADecember 2005K. Vigneswaran
All Ceylon Tamil Congressඅකිල ඉලංකෙයි තමිල් කොංග්‍රස්அகில இலங்கைத் தமிழ்க் காங்கிரஸ்BicycleTNPF29 August 1944Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
Buddhist People's Frontබොදු ජන පෙරමුණபொது ஜன பெரமுணCobraN/A
Citizen's Frontපුරවැසි පෙරමුණபிரஜைகள் முன்னணிOmnibusUPFASri Ranga Jeyaratnam
Democratic Partyප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පක්ෂයசனநாயகக் கட்சிFlaming Torch1 April 2013
Democratic United National Frontප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී එක්සත් ජාතික පෙරමුණஜனநாயக ஐக்கிய தேசிய முன்னணிEagleN/A1990Ariyawansa Dissanayake
Democratic Unity Allianceඑක්සත් ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී සන්ධානයஜனநாயக ஐக்கிய முன்னணிTwo LeavesN/A
Desha Vimukthi Janatha Pakshayaදේශ විමුක්ති ජනතා පක්ෂයதேச விமுக்தி ஜனதா பக்ஷயEar of PaddyUPFA/
SA		1988
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
(Padmanaba wing)[lower-alpha 14]		ඊලාම් ජනතා විප්ලවවාදී විමුක්ති පෙරමුණழமக்கள் புரட்சிகர விடுதலை முன்னணிCandleN/A2000T. Sridharan,
Varatharaja Perumal
Eelavar Democratic Front[lower-alpha 15]ඊලවර් ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පෙරමුණஈழவர் ஜனநாயக முன்னணிPloughUPFA/
DTNF
Frontline Socialist Partyපෙරටුගාමී සමාජවාදී පක්ෂයமுன்னிலை சோசலிசக் கட்சிSledgehammerN/A9 April 2012
Green Party of Sri Lankaශ්‍රී ලංකා හරිත පක්ෂයஇலங்கை பசுமைக் கட்சிGobletN/A
Lanka Sama Samaja Partyලංකා සම සමාජ පක්ෂයலங்கா சமசமாஜக் கட்சிKeyUPFA/
SA		18 December 1935
Liberal Party of Sri Lankaලිබරල් පක්ෂයலிபரல் கட்சிBookN/A1987Rajiva Wijesinha
Motherland People's Party[lower-alpha 16]මව්බිම ජනතා පක්‍ෂයமௌவ்பிம ஜனதா பக்ஷயAeroplaneN/A2009Harischandra Wijayatunga
Muslim National Allianceමුස්ලිම් ජාතික සන්ධානයமுஸ்லிம் தேசிய கூட்டமைப்புPair of ScalesN/A
National Congress[lower-alpha 17]ජාතික කොංග්‍රසයதேசிய காங்கிரஸ்HorseUPFAA. L. M. Athaullah
National Development Frontජාතික සංවර්ධන පෙරමුණஜாதிக சங்வர்தன பெரமுனCoconutN/AAchala Asoka Suraweera
National Peoples Partyජාතික ජනතා පක්ෂයதேசிய மக்கள் கட்சிElectric BulbN/A
Nationalities Unity Organisationජාතීන්ගේ සමඟි සංවිධානයதேசிய இனங்களின் ஐக்கியத்துக்கான அமைப்புUmbrellaN/A
Nava Sama Samaja Partyනව සමසමාජ පක්ෂයநவ சம சமாஜக் கட்சிTableLLF1977Vikramabahu Karunaratne
New Democratic Frontනව ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පෙරමුණபுதிய சனநாயக முன்னணிSwanN/AShamila Perera
New Sinhala Heritageනව සිහළ උරුමයநவ சிஹல உறுமயBow & ArrowN/A2006Sarath Manamendra
Our National Frontඅපේ ජාතික පෙරමුණஎமது தேசிய முன்னணிTelephoneN/A2009Upulangani Malagamuwa
People's Welfare Frontජන සෙත පෙරමුණஜனசெத பெரமுணTractorN/A
Socialist Equality Party[lower-alpha 18]සමාජවාදී සමානතා පක්ෂයசோசலிச சமத்துவக் கட்சிPair of ScissorsN/A1968
Sri Lanka Labour Partyශ්‍රී ලංකා කම්කරු පක්ෂයஸ்ரீலங்கா தொழிலாளர் கட்சிKangarooN/A
Sri Lanka National Force[lower-alpha 19]ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජාතික බලයஸ்ரீ லங்கா தேசிய சக்திFlagN/A
Sri Lanka People's Front[lower-alpha 20]Flower BudN/AWimal Geeganage
Sri Lanka People's Partyශ්‍රී ලංකා මහජන පක්ෂයஇலங்கை மக்கள் கட்சிEyeUPFA/
SA		22 January 1984
Sri Lanka Progressive Frontශ්‍රී ලංකා ප්‍රගතිශීලී පෙරමුණஸ்ரீலங்கா முற்போக்கு முன்னணிFlower VaseUPFA1996J. A. Peter Nelson Perera
Sri Lanka Vanguard Partyශ්‍රී ලංකා පෙරටුගාමී පක්ෂයஇலங்கை முன்னிலை கட்சிEnvelopeN/A
Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikalතමිළ් මක්කල් විඩුදලෛප් පුළිකල්தமிழ் மக்கள் விடுதலைப் புலிகள்BoatUPFA2004S. Chandrakanthan
Tamil United Liberation Front[lower-alpha 21]ද්‍රවිඩ එක්සත් විමුක්ති පෙරමුණதமிழர் விடுதலைக் கூட்டணிSunDTNF4 May 1972V. Anandasangaree
United Democratic Frontඑක්සත් ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී පෙරමුණஐக்கிய ஜனநாயக முன்னணிRabbitN/A
United Lanka People's Partyඑක්සත් ලංකා පොදුජන පක්ෂයஎக்சத் லங்கா பொதுஜன பக்ஷயCupN/A
United Peace Front[lower-alpha 22]එක්සත් සාම පෙරමුණஐக்கிய சமாதான முன்னணிButterflyN/A
United People's Partyඑක්සත් මහජන පක්‍ෂයஐக்கிய மக்கள் கட்சிMobile PhoneN/A
United Socialist Partyඑක්සත් සමාජවාදි පකෂයஐக்கிய சோசலிச கட்சிTri-shawN/A1989Siritunga Jayasuriya

Unregistered parties

PartySinhala nameTamil nameAllianceFoundedLeader
Ceylon Communist Party (Maoist)N/A1964
Ceylon Democratic Unity AllianceN/A2002T. V. Chennan
Democratic National FrontUPFA/
DTNF		N. Kumaraguruparan
Democratic People's CongressUPFA/
DTNF		Praba Ganesan
Eelam National Democratic Liberation Frontඊළාම් ජාතික ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී විමුක්ති පෙරමුණஈழ தேசிய ஜனநாய விடுதலை முன்னணிN/A1987
Muslim Tamil National AllianceUNFGGAzath Salley
National Front for Good GovernanceUNFGGAbdul Rahman
People's Freedom FrontN/A1991
People's Liberation Solidarity FrontN/A1997Kamal Karunadasa
People’s Servants Partyජනතා සේවක පක්ෂයN/AJune 2015
People's Tamil CongressN/AL. P. Shanmuganathan
Revolutionary Workers Party[lower-alpha 23]N/A1968
Socialist Party of Sri LankaN/A2006
United Citizens’ FrontUPFATissa Attanayake
United Lanka Great CouncilN/ANath Amarakone
United National Alternative FrontN/A2000

Defunct parties

PartySinhala nameTamil nameFoundedDissolvedNotes
All Ceylon Islamic United Front1960
All Ceylon Malay Political Union1944
Aziz Democratic Workers Congress
Bolshevik Samasamaja Party[lower-alpha 24]19481950Absorbed into the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Buddhist Republican Party1952
Ceylon National Congressஇலங்கை தேசிய காங்கிரஸ்11 December 1919
Lanka Democratic Partyஇலங்கை சனநாயகக் கட்சிAbsorbed into the Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party
Lanka Mahajana Sabha1919
Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Alternative Group)
Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Revolutionary)1964
Muslim United Liberation Front
National Alliance
National Democratic Movement
National Democratic People's Allianceதேசிய ஜனநாயக மக்கள் கூட்டமைப்பு4 February 2008
National Liberation Front
New Democratic Party
New National Front2011
People's Front of Liberation Tigersவிடுதலைப் புலிகள் மக்கள் முன்னணி1989
Sinhala HeritageAbsorbed into the Jathika Hela Urumaya
Sinhala Maha Sabhaසිංහල මහා සභාசிங்கள மகா சபை1936Absorbed into the United National Party
Sri Lanka Freedom Socialist Party1964Absorbed into the United National Party
Sri Lanka National Congress20092011Absorbed into the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Sri Lanka Sama Samaja Party19821983Absorbed into the Sri Lanka Freedom Party
United Lanka Congress
United Muslim People's Alliance
United National Alliance
Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party19501959Absorbed into the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna
Workers' Liberation Frontකම්කරැ පක්ෂය

Notes

  1. ↑ The TNA contests under the name and house symbol of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi.
  2. ↑ The UNFGG contests under the name and elephant symbol of the United National Party.
  3. ↑ The TNPF contests under the name and bicycle symbol of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress.
  4. ↑ Formerly Tamil Democratic National Alliance.
  5. ↑ Formerly New Left Front, Left Front.
  6. ↑ The UNF contests under the name and elephant symbol of the United National Party.
  7. ↑ Formerly All Ceylon Muslim Congress.
  8. ↑ Formerly Ceylon Indian Congress.
  9. ↑ Formerly Ruhuna People's Party.
  10. ↑ Formerly Western People's Front.
  11. ↑ Political wing of People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam.
  12. ↑ Also known as the Federal Party.
  13. ↑ Formerly All Lanka Tamil United Front.
  14. ↑ Previously Varatharaja wing.
  15. ↑ Political wing of Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students.
  16. ↑ Formerly Sinhalaye Mahasammatha Bhoomiputra Pakshaya.
  17. ↑ Also known as National Muslim Congress.
  18. ↑ Formerly Revolutionary Communist League.
  19. ↑ Formerly Patriotic National Front.
  20. ↑ Formerly Sri Lanka National Front, Our Sri Lanka Freedom Front.
  21. ↑ Formerly Tamil United Front.
  22. ↑ Formerly Muslim Liberation Front.
  23. ↑ Formerly Revolutionary Samasamaja Party.
  24. ↑ Formerly Bolshevik-Leninist Party of India, Ceylon and Burma.

References

  • "Political parties". Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2012-08-05.
  • "Sri Lanka". Leftist Parties of the World. 22 June 2004.
  • "The List of Political Party/Group in Sri Lanka (1945-2004)". Sri Lanka Statistics.
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